The inauguration ceremony of the twelve 2024 Temporary Student Committee (TSC) members took place in the Senate Hall on Monday 15 January.
Deputy Director of Student Affairs Dr Willem Jorissen initiated proceedings by welcoming university executives and the parents of the new student leaders. In his address the Interim Vice-Chancellor and Principal Prof Themba Mosia reminded the incoming TSC of their primary objective – to serve the students body. “Students leaders are duty-bound to protect the interest of the university”, said Mosia.
The Constitutional Tribunal oversaw the formalities, with Chief Justice Lisalise Dlomo administering the oath of office to the TSC members. Prof Flavia Senkubuge, Acting Vice-Principal: Student Life, brought the event to a close by urging the TSC to collaborate and serve the student community while also emphasizing the importance of self-care and mutual support.
The designated portfolios for the TSC members are as follows:
Chairperson: Khanyisile Mahlangu
Secretary and Student Culture: Nicole van der Walt
Treasurer: Karabo Mogale
Marketing, Media and Communications: Katlego Buda
Study Finance: Okuhle Mpepo
Societies: Sicelo Ngwenya
External campus affairs, Facilities, Sport: Hlulani Mawila
Transformation and RAG: Kamva Diko
Academics: Favourite Ntsinane
Academics: Christiaan Bronkhorst
Residences: Conrad Grobbelaar
Residences: Hlumelo Mjikeliso
Caption: From left to right – Dr Willem Jorissen (Deputy Director Student Affairs), Prof Flavia Senkubuge (Acting Vice-Principal: Student Life), Prof Caroline Nicholson (Registrar), Conrad Grobbelaar (Residences), Sicelo Ngwenya (Societies), Hlulani Mawila (External campus affairs, Facilities, Sport), Kamva Diko (Transformation and RAG), Khanyisile Mahlangu (Chairperson), Christiaan Bronkhorst (Academics), Favourite Ntsinane (Academics), Prof Themba Mosia (Interim Vice-Chancellor and Principal), Karabo Mogale (Treasurer), Hlumelo Mjikeliso (Residences), Katlego Buda (Marketing, Media and Communications), Nicole van der Walt (Secretary and Student Culture), Okuhle Mpepo (Study Finance), Prof Carolina Koornhof (Executive Director responsible for Finance and Business Initiatives), Dr Kgadi Mathabathe (Director of Student Affairs)
In response to her election as TSC Chairperson, Khanyi Mahlangu said ”I am very honoured and elated to have been elected as the new chair. We’re very excited to welcome the student body back and are ready to serve.”
On 27 September last year, an email was sent to all staff and students where the suspension of the SRC election results were announced pending the outcome of disciplinary hearings following complaints to the Independent Monitoring Body (IMB).
UP Council’s decision to appoint a TSC was communicated in a campus wide email from the Chairperson of the University of Pretoria Council, Kuseni Dlamini stating, “The Council thoroughly examined the report on the 2023 Student Representative Council (SRC) elections, obtaining valuable insights into participation and outcomes. The elections’ contested nature was acknowledged with regret and, though not ideal, the Council ratified the decision to appoint a Temporary Student Committee for 2024 in an effort to ensure stability in student leadership for the start of the 2024 academic year”
The appointment of a TSC is in accordance with section 33.3 of the Constitution for Student Governance which states ”If free and fair elections could not be held during the second semester of a given academic year and the elective portfolios of the SRC could therefore not be filled, the University Council may with effect from 1 January of the following academic year appoint a Temporary Student Committee consisting of 12 students who are existing or were previous members of the SRC or student governance structures as defined in section 1 of the Constitution for Student Governance”.
